The insect world is a prolific one. There are millions of different species of insect. Each of these species is uniquely designed to survive. Cockroaches are one of those species. One of the main ways they survive is by exponential reproduction. They can infest a home very quickly and fill it with cockroaches. How to cockroaches mate? Cockroaches use a male and female sexual system of mating. The female will lay eggs in an egg sack, or ootheca afterwards.
Cockroach sexuality is much like other species of insect. The males have a gland on their back that they release a sugary secretion from. The females are attracted to this secretion. The male will lift it swings exposing the gland, and the female will get on the males back to consume the secretion. If she likes what she tastes, she will remain there long enough for the male to inseminate her.
REPRODUCTION
Using this form of internal fertilization, females can store sperm and use it as needed. Shake and lay as many as 4 to 6 oothecae with as many as 30 to 40 eggs in each in her lifetime. Female cockroaches can reach sexual adulthood in as little as 40 days from hatching. These kind of numbers lead to exponential population growth. It’s in this way the cockroaches infest homes and businesses that they’re in. If you are finding yourself in this situation, contact a Tulsa pest control company for help.
The diet of a cockroach plays a large part in their reproduction. Cockroaches generally prefer a carbohydrate rich diet. It’s these carbohydrates that the male uses to create the secretion that attracts the female. But during the insemination process, the male will also inject a nutritional nuptial gift that the female will use to feed her young in the egg. This nuptial gift is high in protein. Scientist have found that male cockroaches that mate more often will consume more protein. This is likely to produce more sperm and provide for the nuptial gift.
THE LIFECYCLE OF A COCKROACH
Cockroaches’ lifecycle is considered to be an incomplete metamorphosis. This means that once the eggs hatch, a nymph emerges. A nymph is a smaller version of the adult insect. That nymph will grow until it outgrows its exoskeleton. At this point it will molt or shed its outer skin. It will molt multiple times before becoming a sexually mature adult.
When a female cockroach produces an ootheca, it will find a place safe for it to hide the ootheca. This is usually a crack or somewhere hidden where predators can’t find it. It will remain here until the eggs hatch. The only exception to this rule is the German cockroach. The German cockroach is the most common cockroach that we find in homes. The female German cockroach will carry the ootheca until the eggs hatch. To get of these nasty pests, call an Oklahoma pest control company today.
SURVIVAL
Cockroaches are built for survival. They can squeeze the very tight places. Cockroaches can hold their breath underwater for very long periods of time. They are extremely fast for their size. Cockroaches can withstand much higher doses of radiation than we can. The lethal dose of radiation for human is around 800 rems, but the lethal dose for the American cockroach is 67,500 rems and 90,000 rems for the German cockroach.
As insects, cockroaches are at the bottom of the food chain. In nature, they often consume the discarded and rotting things on the forest floor. But because they’ve adapted so well to living with humans, they’re often found in our homes. Cockroaches are a tropical insect that requires warm temperatures. In most of North America, these warm temperatures are only found year-round in our homes. Couple that with the plenteous food supplies that we keep in our pantries and you get a perfect situation for cockroaches in your home. Your Tulsa exterminator can help you rid your home or business of these annoying pests.
ELIMINATING COCKROACHES
If you’re finding multiple cockroaches in your homes, there is help. You can call an Oklahoma exterminator to apply our great experience to relieving you of these pests. Here at TermMax Pest Control, we can get you an estimate free of charge. We service the greater Tulsa area including Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, Bixby, Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Coweta, Pratville, Claremore, Catoosa and much more. Don’t live with cockroaches another day. Call today! We are here to help!